Much Marcle Conservation Area Appraisal

MUCH MARCLE CONSERVATION AREA

APPRAISAL

DRAFT

May 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Planning Policy Context

Summary of Special Interest

Location and Setting

Historic Development and Archaeology

Spatial Analysis

Character and Interrelationship of Spaces Key Views

Character Analysis

Buildings of Local Interest Prevalent Building Materials and Local Details Positive Areas and Features Neutral and Intrusive Elements

Pressures, Capacity and General Condition

Issues

Heritage Asset at Risk Proposed Boundary Changes

Sources

Appendix I: List of Heritage Assets

Appendix II: Buildings of Local Interest

2 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Plan 1: Much Marcle Conservation Area

Plan 2: Buildings of Local Interest and Other Features

Plan 3: Proposed Boundary Changes

3 MUCH MARCLE CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL

No appraisal can ever be completely comprehensive. Omission of any particular building, feature or site should not be taken to imply that it is of no interest.

Introduction

Much Marcle Conservation Area was designated in 1976 by Malvern Hills District Council. A conservation area is defined as an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which should be conserved or enhanced. The designation of a conservation area is no longer considered appropriate as an end in itself. For the designation to be meaningful, the process requires the preparation of an appraisal to define what is special, thereby warranting the status of the conservation area. This should also form the basis for making decisions about the future of the conservation area, ensuring its character and appearance is taken properly into account.

An appraisal has now been carried out to review the special qualities of Much Marcle Conservation Area. The scope of the appraisal has included a review of whether additional areas should be added to, or removed from, the designation. At this stage, any proposals for boundary change are put forward as the basis for further discussion and consultation. Any decision on changes to the boundary of Much Marcle Conservation Area will be taken at a later stage in association with consideration of management proposals.

Planning Policy Context

There is a considerable amount of policy published by a number of sources (including English Heritage and the Department of the Environment) concerning the designation, appraisal and review of conservation areas. A bibliography of pertinent publications is given at the end of this document.

Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan (UDP), adopted 23 rd March 2007, sets out Herefordshire Council’s planning policies. These policies will influence how development proceeds throughout the County.

The UDP contains policies setting out criteria for designating and reviewing conservation areas (Policy HBA5), and on how planning applications for development within such areas will be considered (Policy HBA6). The purpose of setting criteria against which the designation of a conservation area will be judged is to ensure consistency of approach and help avoid the inclusion of areas that would not be in keeping with the special character of the conservation area.

Much Marcle is defined in the UDP (Policy H6) as a ‘smaller settlement’ where proposals for residential development on plots arising from the infilling of small gaps between existing dwellings within the settlement will be permitted where:

1. the dwelling size is limited to a habitable living space of 90 sq m (3 bedroom house) or 100 sq m (4 bedroom house);

2. the plot size is limited to a maximum area of 350 sq m; and

3. the infill gap is no more than 30 metres frontage.

In considering such planning applications priority will be given to applications on previously developed land. Developments on an appropriate infill plot larger than 30 metres frontage will be permitted for affordable housing where a proven local need has been successfully demonstrated. Planning permission for the extension of dwellings approved under this policy will not be permitted. Planning permissions will be subject to a condition removing permitted development rights for the conversion of an ancillary garage into habitable accommodation, or for the erection of any extension or detached buildings within the curtilage. Proposals should be compatible with the housing design and other policies of the UDP and respect the character and scale of the settlement.

Much Marcle Conservation Area is protected against new development that would adversely affect either the overall character of the landscape or its key attributes or features (Policy LA2: Landscape Character and Areas Least Resilient to Change). Within the conservation area boundary, the following areas are also protected under the provisions of the UDP:

• Mortimer’s Castle, a medieval motte and bailey castle (Policy ARCH3: Scheduled Ancient Monuments).

• The Bartons, a playing field owned by the Parish Council and used mainly by Much Marcle C. E. Primary School (Policy RST4: Safeguarding Existing Recreational Open Space).

• Homme House Park (Policy LA4: Protection of Historic Parks and Gardens, Registered Park or Garden).

• Hellens (Policy LA4: Protection of Historic Parks and Gardens, Unregistered Parks and Gardens of Local Importance).

Summary of Special Interest

Much Marcle Conservation Area is set in an agricultural landscape in Herefordshire’s Central Lowland to the east of Marcle Ridge. The conservation area includes the village of Much Marcle, several farms, arable fields and pasture to the north, east and west of the village, and part of the Hellens and Homme House landscape parks. Since designation of the conservation area in 1976, several residential developments have been undertaken within its boundaries.

At the time of the Domesday Book, the Manor of Marcle ( Merchelai ) was in the lordship of the king. By AD 1291, the manor had been sub-divided and Much Marcle (Marcle Magna) conveyed by Edward I to the marcher lord, Edmund Mortimer of Wigmore. Mortimer occupied a motte and bailey castle, the earthworks of which are today located at the core of the village of Much Marcle.

The oldest surviving building within the conservation area is the 13 th Century parish church of St Bartholomew, with its landmark tower. Amongst the oldest secular buildings is Hellens, a large redbrick Tudor House dating to the 16 th Century and the sandstone wing of Homme House, dating to c. AD 1500. A number of timber-framed

5 cottages and farmhouses date to between the late 16 th and 18 th Century, including Bower Cottage, a cruck framed thatched cottage. Other prominent buildings include Phillips House, an early 18 th Century house in the Queen Anne style, the Victorian school and the 1920s parish hall.

The character of Much Marcle Conservation Area is essentially rural and agricultural. This is best preserved on a rural road in the south-eastern part of the conservation area with a dispersed settlement pattern of farmhouses, cottages, barns and other agricultural buildings, and orchards with older varieties of apple trees in pasture. In the northern part of the village, 20 th /21 st Century residential development has introduced a suburban element to the detriment of local identity.

Heritage assets within the conservation area include two Scheduled Monuments, two Grade I Listed Buildings, four Grade II* listed buildings and thirty-eight Grade II listed buildings. The Herefordshire Sites and Monuments Record includes twenty-six entries within the conservation area. In addition, nine Buildings of Local Interest have been identified during this appraisal.

Location and Setting

Much Marcle Conservation Area is located in eastern Herefordshire approximately ten miles (16km) south-east of Hereford City. The A449 Ross-on-Wye to Ledbury road is aligned north-east to south-west along the western boundary. The B4024 secondary road is aligned north-west to south-east through the northern part of the conservation area. It is the main street of the village of Much Marcle and crosses the A449 at the northern end of the settlement.

The conservation area is set in an agricultural landscape in the eastern part of Herefordshire’s Central Lowland at an elevation of between approximately 60m (at the northern end) and 90m (at the south-western end) above Ordnance Datum (OD). To the west of the conservation area Marcle Ridge rises to 231m OD.

The underlying bedrock of much of the area is red-brown mudstone and siltstone of the Raglan Mudstone Formation. The bedrock gives rise to fine silty soils (typical argillic brown earths) that support cereals and short-term grassland with stock rearing, and some hops. In the northern part of the conservation area soils are subject to slight seasonal waterlogging (stagnogleyic argillic brown earths). In the south-western part of the conservation area the underlying bedrock is siltstone of the Rushall Formation. This gives rise to coarse silty soils (typical brown earths) that support stock rearing on permanent and short-term grassland, and some cereals.

Historical Development and Archaeology

The name Marcle is believed to be derived from Old English mearc and lēah meaning ‘Boundary Wood’, a reference to the boundary between the Anglo-Saxon polities of the Magonsaete and the Hwicce. The Domesday Book records that in AD 1086 the manor of Marcle ( Merchelai ) was in the lordship of the king (before the Norman Conquest the manor was held by Earl Harold and was part of Queen Edith’s extensive manor of Leominster). The population of the manor included thirty-six villagers and ten smallholders, and their families. The manor also supported a reeve (overseer), one ‘Frenchman’, one riding man (of higher status), one ploughman and fourteen slaves, six of whom were female. Seventeen hides of agricultural land were recorded. In addition to land held in lordship by the king, one hide was held by the

6 sheriff, one half of a hide by William Baderon and three acres by the monastery of Cormeilles in Normandy. The manor included woodland, the products of which were used to purchase salt from Droitwich, and fifty-eight acres of recently cleared woodland. Four ploughs were held in lordship and the tenants held forty-three ploughs. There was also a mill in the manor.

A charter to hold a fair, an important medieval economic activity, was granted in AD 1270. In AD 1281 the lord of the manor was Walter de Bohun. By AD 1291 the manor had been sub-divided to form Marcle Magna (Much Marcle) and Marcle Parva (Little Marcle). Much Marcle was conveyed by Edward I to Edmund Mortimer of Wigmore who constructed (or took possession of) a motte and bailey castle, the site of which is now known as Mortimer’s Castle. Earthworks to the north and east of the monument are interpreted as the site of tofts (residential plots) and a holloway marking the location of the medieval village.

Evidence of medieval arable agriculture in fields to the north and west of the village, in the form of ridge and furrow earthworks, has been identified by aerial photography. Further evidence of medieval agriculture, in the northern part of the conservation area, is provided by contemporary and late 18 th Century field boundaries. The post- medieval enclosure of medieval common arable land is indicated by broad closes and the high frequency of dogleg boundaries (Herefordshire Historical Landscape Characterisation). Medieval open field fields were divided into narrow arable strips, or furlongs, that gave rise to characteristic ridge and furrow earthworks as a result of ploughing.

The oldest standing building in the conservation area is the parish church of St Bartholomew, located immediately south of Mortimer’s Castle in the centre of the village of Much Marcle, and at the centre of the conservation area. The church is built of local sandstone and dates from the mid-13 th Century. In the chancel is a monument to Blanche de Grandison, granddaughter of Edmund Mortimer, dated AD 1360-70. An earlier church may have previously occupied the site. In the churchyard there is a sandstone cross probably dating from the 15 th Century.

Two large houses dating from the 16 th Century are among the oldest secular buildings in the conservation area. Hellens, a brick farmhouse, is located in the north-east on the site of an earlier house dating, possibly, from the 14 th Century. Associated farm buildings, timber-framed and brick, generally date from the 17 th to the 19 th Century. To the south-east of the house is a landscape park that dates from the 16 th or 17 th Century. Homme House is located in the south-western part of the conservation area. The earliest part of the house is stone-built and dates from c. AD 1500; the main brick wing is of late 18 th Century date. Other buildings on the estate are built of sandstone and brick and date between the 17 th and 20 th Century. The house is set in a large landscape park that was laid out in the early 19 th Century and extends from the southern boundary of the conservation area to the parish churchyard. Today, the park is well planted with mature parkland trees in permanent pasture. A post-medieval field system of rectangular enclosures, visible as banks and ditches, has been identified by aerial photography.

A significant number of timber-framed residential buildings are located in the conservation area, dating generally from the 17 th and 18 th Century; Bower Cottage, a cruck-framed house with thatched roof, may be of late 16 th Century date. Most of these buildings are located on or near the main village street (B4024) or on a rural road that extends south along the east side of Homme House park.

7 By the late 18 th Century the village of Much Marcle was a linear settlement with two residential concentrations: one was located in the vicinity of the parish church, the other at the junction of the A449 and the B4024. There were two inns: The Swan (now a private residence), near the site of the castle, and The Ship and Castle (now the Walwyn Arms public house) at the A449 junction. To the west of the village there were three large meadows, several small closes and a number of small orchards; to the east there were several large arable fields, closes (meadow and paddocks) and more extensive areas of orchard. Parish field names of the time are indicative of contemporary (or earlier) agricultural and subsistence activities, including croft, fold, barn, stable, tillage, rye, hay, rick, orchard, hopyard, pippin, perry, bannut, cherry, fishpool, pigeon, pig, horse, ox, cow, milking; of local industrial activities and occupations, including mill, windmill, brick, quarry, limehouse, whithy, weaver, joiner, butcher; and of woodland management, including wood, stocking, birch, plantation.

A new redbrick school was built in 1833 but there was little change in the settlement pattern during the 19 th Century. Further development took place on the B4024 during the 20 th Century including the construction of the Memorial Hall in 1921 and, later, the construction of residential estates on cul-de-sacs, including Monks Meadow and Glebe Orchard, and on infill sites. Residential developments at Monks Meadow and Glebe Orchard were undertaken after the designation of Much Marcle Conservation Area.

Spatial Analysis

Character and Interrelationship of Spaces

The character of Much Marcle Conservation Area is essentially rural. Timber-framed farmhouses, farmworkers’ cottages, barns and other farm buildings of local stone and brick, attested to a long history of agricultural activity in this area. Since designation of the conservation area in 1976, however, residential development of suburban character on former open land has intruded upon, and detracted from, the rural and agricultural character of the conservation area.

At the core of the conservation area is the village of Much Marcle, centred on the medieval parish church of St Bartholomew, the motte and bailey earthworks of Mortimer’s Castle and the Queen Anne vicarage (Phillips House). The linear village extends to the north as a small number of 18 th Century timber-framed cottages, a Victorian school, a 1920s village hall and a larger number of 20 th Century homes including a cul-de-sac development. To the south, the village comprises a scattering of timber-framed cottages, farmhouses and farm buildings (stone-built and steel framed), a number of 20 th Century residences on infill sites and a high-density residential site of sheltered and affordable housing (formerly an orchard). Throughout the conservation area, including within the village of Much Marcle, roads are generally bordered by hedges and narrow grass verges; this, together with an abundance of trees, creates a sense of enclosure. A hard surface footpath extends along the east side of the main village street from the village hall to housing developments at Glebe Orchard.

On the east and west sides of the village are extensive areas of open landscape including arable land and pasture. Hellens, a large brick-built 16 th Century house, and a group of timber-framed and brick former agricultural buildings are located in the north-eastern part of the conservation area in a small landscape park, much of which extends eastwards beyond the conservation area boundary. Several large arable fields lie between the site and the village.

Homme House landscape park extends south from the parish churchyard and occupies much of the southern part of the conservation area. Homme House is a large stone-built 16 th Century house with later brick additions located near the south- western boundary of the conservation area. Associated buildings, including the 17 th Century Summerhouse, are constructed of stone and of brick. To the west, also located near the boundary of the conservation area, is Bodenham Farm, which includes a Georgian farmhouse, and timber-framed and stone agricultural buildings.

There are several significant open spaces within the conservation area:

• St Bartholomew’s churchyard: located at the centre of the village of Much Marcle, a quiet space with views of the Malvern Hills to the east, Marcle Ridge to the west and Homme House landscape park to the south; bounded by coursed sandstone rubble walls on the north, west and south east sides and by iron railings on the south and east sides, with a topiary arch over the east gate; contains a number of listed structures including a 15 th Century stone cross, tombs and headstones, and mature native and ornamental trees including an ancient yew estimated to be over one thousand years old (the lower branches are supported by Victorian cast iron lamp posts).

• Mortimer’s Castle motte and bailey earthwork (private property): a Scheduled Monument located north of the parish churchyard; the motte and part of the bailey are under heavy tree cover; several buildings occupy the western part of the bailey; the more open eastern part of the bailey is in pasture and bounded by mature or overgrown hedges.

• The Bartons: a playing field located south of Much Marcle Primary School bordered by medieval earthworks.

• Orchards (private property): located on the south-east side of the conservation area with older varieties of apple trees in pasture bounded by mature hedges.

• Homme House landscape park (private property): extends south from the churchyard and occupies the southern part of the conservation area; much of the park is well planted with mature parkland trees in permanent pasture; the park includes two large kidney-shaped fishponds; the south-western part is more heavily wooded and includes the site of Homme House, a dovecote and other outbuildings, and a walled garden.

• Hellens landscape park (private property): occupies a small area in the north- eastern part of the conservation area; the western part is well planted with mature parkland trees that screen the main house; the park is bounded by mature hedges with public footpaths extending along the north and south sides of the park, and is separated from the village by arable fields and pasture.

Mature trees are a significant feature of the conservation area, including native hardwood, ornamental and evergreen. Trees are particularly prominent at the following locations:

• At the centre of the village in the vicinity of the parish churchyard, Mortimer’s Castle and at the south-west end of Monk’s Walk leading to Hellens, including

9 an ancient yew tree in the churchyard and a solitary cherry tree on a traffic island at the junction of the B4024 with the access road to St Bartholomew’s church.

• Homme House landscape park: mature parkland trees.

• Hellens landscape park: mature parkland trees.

• Near the western boundary of the conservation: an avenue of mature oak trees lining the former course of a stream (since regularised and now flowing parallel with the A449 Ross-Ledbury road).

• Orchards on the south-east side of the conservation area: older varieties of apple trees.

Key Views

There are a number of key views within the conservation area:

• A sequential view looking north-west along the B4024 from the eastern entrance to the conservation area: ahead, the tower of the St Bartholomew’s parish church rises above the treeline; on the south-east side, Rhonville, a timber-framed cottage, creates a diversion; on the north-east side, the redbrick three-storey wing of The Old Coach House with its pyramidal roof punctuates the view; the church tower is now screened by trees but reappears and dominates the view.

• A sequential view looking north along the narrow hedge-lined rural road at the south-eastern entrance to the conservation area: on the east side, a widely- spaced sequence of stone, brick and timber-framed farm buildings in a rural setting; on the west side, mature orchards and a timber-framed cottage with cruck frame and thatched roof (Bower Cottage); on approaching the village, Phillips House, a prominent redbrick building, terminates the view.

• Looking west along a cobbled carriage drive enclosed on both sides by wooden fences, shrubs and hedges: the polished cobbles, the green vegetation and the black and white timber-framed Causeway Cottage present a contrast in colours and textures; ahead, the topiary arch at the churchyard gate punctuates the view, and the red sandstone church towers above it.

• Looking east along the carriage drive: the cobbled roadbed links the sandstone church with redbrick Phillips House, the former vicarage.

• Looking east from the churchyard: a glimpse of the distant Malvern Hills framed by grey slate and red tiled roofs, and trees, hedges and bushes.

• Looking west from Monk’s Walk enclosed by an avenue of fruit trees: the tower of St Bartholomew’s rises above the treeline.

• Looking east from the A449 across a wide green open space: on rising ground, St Bartholomew’s church and mature trees dominate the skyline.

• Looking south from the public footpath on the west side of the conservation area: an avenue of mature oak trees line a meandering former streambed leading to a landscape park.

The following panoramic vistas offer views beyond the conservation area disclosing its wider landscape setting:

• From the south-east side of the conservation area: a panoramic view across hedgerows and pastures towards the distant Malvern Hills.

• From the west gate of the churchyard: a panoramic view of Marcle Ridge beyond an avenue of oak trees.

Character Analysis

A number of different architectural styles and periods are represented in the conservation area. These include the medieval Gothic and 18 th Century Classical forms of the parish church; timber-framed (cruck and box framed) domestic buildings dating from the 16 th to the 18 th Century; large brick houses of Tudor (16 th Century) and Queen Anne (early 18 th Century) design; brick buildings of Victorian (19 th Century) design, early 20 th Century and post-1950s form and construction; and a range of agricultural buildings of stone, timber, brick and steel.

The earlier (18 th Century) plan-form of the village of Much Marcle was that of a linear village of dispersed farms and cottages surrounded by orchards, arable and pasture. At the centre of the village stood the parish church, an inn, several residences and a medieval earthwork monument. Two extensive agricultural estates were located to the north-east and to the south of the settlement. During the 20 th /21 st Century, residential development has resulted in an almost continuous sequence of development on both sides of the main village street.

The Village Core

At the centre of the village are the oldest structures found in the conservation area. These include Mortimer’s Castle motte and bailey (Scheduled Monument), the parish church of St Bartholomew (Grade I) and a sandstone cross (Scheduled Monument; Grade II) in the churchyard.

The motte and bailey castle survives as an earthwork dating possibly to the 12 th Century. The motte (mound) is approximately 30m in diameter at the top and rises to a height of about 6.5m above the bottom of the encircling ditch. It is overgrown by trees and bushes, and there is evidence of animal burrowing. On the east side is a semi-circular bailey (enclosure) now containing several houses (discussed below). To the north and east is a rectangular enclosure (in pasture) bounded by a scarp with a ditch on the north side.

The parish church stands on a slight prominence immediately south of the earthwork monument. The church is constructed of coursed sandstone rubble with sandstone dressings under pitched tiled roofs with lead roofs to the north and south aisles. The building dates from the 13 th Century with several inserted 14 th and 15 th Century windows. The tower, a local landmark, is of dressed sandstone and dates from the late 15 th Century. Additional alterations were undertaken in the 18 th Century, and the

11 building was restored in the late 19 th Century. Architectural forms include Early English Gothic (the 13 th Century structure), Perpendicular (15 th Century windows and tower) and Classical (an early 18 th Century doorway in the chancel with a segmental pediment and scrolled brackets).

In the churchyard there is a sandstone cross (Scheduled Monument; Grade II) comprising a moulded octagonal base with the stump of a shaft set on a plinth of three steps. There are also a number of listed grave markers (all Grade II) including ten chest tombs, eight headstones and one pedestal tomb. All are of 18 th or 19 th Century date; most are of finely carved sandstone and a number are eroded with illegible inscriptions. Churchyard boundary features include coursed sandstone rubble walls with parallel coping and cast iron railings with spear railheads.

At the north-east corner of the parish churchyard are the gates, gate piers and flanking wall (early 19 th Century, Grade II) that mark the northern entrance to Homme House landscape park. The gates are of wrought iron with spear railheads; the piers are of rusticated sandstone and the wall has a recessed semi-circular headed arch and pilasters. The driveway cuts the earthwork monument on the south side.

The Lower Lodge (probably early 19 th Century, unlisted) of Homme House is located adjacent to the gates within the earthwork bailey. The two-storey building has been rendered and fitted with replacement windows; the main entrance with panelled door is in a lean-to porch at the east elevation. A date stone at the south gable shows two dates, 1820 (probably the date of construction) and 1965 (probably the date of alteration).

Also located in the bailey is Swan Cottage (probably 17 th or 18 th Century, unlisted), a former inn now a private residence. The two-storey building is timber-framed (box- frame with regular square panels exposed at the west elevation) with painted brick or plaster infill under a pitched slate roof. It has been altered and extended during the 20 th Century including replacement windows, brick extensions, slate roofs and gabled porch. An adjacent single-storey outbuilding, dating from the 18 th Century or earlier, is constructed of sandstone rubble and corrugated iron under a pitched roof; it is overgrown by vegetation.

Phillips House (early 18 th Century, Grade II*), the former vicarage, is located on the east side of the main village street opposite the parish church to which it is linked by a cobbled carriage drive. The building is a prominent, symmetrically designed Queen Anne house of two storeys with basement and attic. It is brick-built in Flemish bond with stone dressings and stone cellar under a hipped slate roof. At the west (front) elevation there are stone quoins, keystones and string course, wooden moulded eaves with dentilled cornice and three dormer windows. The centre bay is slightly advanced, the central entrance has a moulded architrave and scrolled open pediment, windows have solid frames with mullions and transoms except the central twenty-four pane sash window. At the east (garden) elevation there is a canted bay window (early 19 th Century) and a keystone bearing the initials and date “ DP 1703 ”. There is a large garden at the rear.

Causeway Cottage (probably late 17 th Century, Grade II) is located outside the east gate of the churchyard on the north side of the cobbled carriage drive. The house, of one storey with basement and attic, is timber-framed (box frame with regular square panels) with brick and plaster infill under pitched tiled roofs with a stone and brick chimneystack at the west gable. At the south elevation there are two canted 19 th Century bay windows, a blocked central door and two gabled dormer windows; at the north elevation there is an entrance under a tiled canopy and a two-storey 20 th

12 Century extension. On a neighbouring plot to the east is a modern (20 th Century) bungalow.

At the east end of the carriageway, on the south side, is Mainwarings (probably 19 th Century, unlisted). This is a two-storey house of painted brick under a tiled roof, hipped at the east end (the house has probably been extended). At the front (north) elevation is a dentilled brick eaves cornice, an off-centre entrance with panelled door and canopy, string course, sash windows at ground floor and casement windows at first floor. A single-storey outbuilding on the south-east side is of painted stone under a pitched tiled roof; set into the east wall is a Victorian post box. There is a 20 th Century residence on an adjacent plot to the west.

The B4024 (North)

The majority of buildings in this area are residences of 20 th /21 st Century date, constructed using modern methods and materials. A dispersed group of 17 th /18 th Century timber-framed houses is located in the northern section of the road.

The Walwyn Arms public house (17 th Century, unlisted) is located on the south-west side of the junction with the A449. The timber-framed, two storey building has been refaced and rendered under a pitched tiled roof with dentilled eaves. At the north (front) elevation is a central entrance with part-glazed panel door and two canted bay windows under a continuous pentice, and casement windows at the first floor. There are single-storey extensions to the east (17 th or 18 th Century) and to the north-west (19 th Century). There is a lawned garden at the front of the public house that contributes to its setting, and a paddock at the rear. On the south-east side of the junction is a field in pasture.

Three timber-framed cottages are located on the east side of the street. Greenway Cottage (probably 18 th Century, Grade II), of one storey and attic, is box framed with regular rectangular panels and painted brick infill under a pitched tiled roof with external rendered chimneystack, with brick shaft, at the south gable end. At the west (front) elevation there is an off-centre entrance, two 20 th Century canted bay windows and two raking-top dormers with casement windows. At the north gable end there is a lean-to extension (probably 20 th Century).

Tollhouse Cottage (probably 18 th Century, Grade II), also of one storey and attic, is box framed with narrow irregular scantlings and square panels, and painted brick infill under a tiled pitched roof with an external stone chimneystack with brick shaft at south gable end. At west (front) elevation there is an off-centre entrance and 20 th Century replacement casement windows.

Parting Ground Cottage (probably early 17 th Century, Grade II), of two storeys, is box framed with, generally, regular square panels and unpainted brick infill in stretcher bond under a raised hipped tiled roof with an external stone chimneystack, with brick shaft, at the west end. At the north (front) elevation there is an off-centre entrance with a 20 th Century canopy and panelled door, and replacement casement windows, gutters and drain pipes. The house has been extended at the east end. Between Parting Ground Cottage and Tollhouse Cottage is a former open space (field) under development at the time of the survey (1.5.07).

Much Marcle Primary School (19 th Century, unlisted) is located on the west side of the street. This a single-storey building of redbrick with stone quoins, dressings and moulded labels with returned ends, under pitched tiled roofs with decorative bargeboards at the gables. The school has several recent additions; further

13 construction was being undertaken at the time of the survey (1.5.07). Immediately south of the school is a playing field, The Bartons, bordered by medieval earthworks.

Walnut Tree Cottage (probably 19 th Century, unlisted), located near the north end of the street, is a two-storey house of painted brick under a double-pitched slate roof. At the east (front) elevation there is a dentilled eaves cornice, a central entry with panelled door and overlight, two square bay windows, and casement windows at the first floor. There is a garden at the front of the house. Immediately to the south is an unobtrusive single-storey building that was formerly a smithy (probably 19 th Century, unlisted). The building is of coursed stone, partly rendered, under a pitched tiled roof. At the east elevation there is a large doorway with a 20 th Century roller shutter and a wooden-shuttered window.

The Memorial Hall (1921, unlisted), on the east side of the street, is a focus of local activities. This is a single-story T-plan building of pebble-dash and redbrick (stretcher bond) under pitched and hipped tiled roofs. At the west gable end there is brick porch with a flat roof and, above, a large lunette window with keystone and label. At the front of the building is a large tarmacadam car park, which contrasts significantly with the green open space of The Bartons field on the opposite side of the road.

Residential developments of 20 th /21 st Century date, on both sides of the street, include Monks Meadow cul-de-sac (constructed since the conservation area was designated) and individual residences on infill sites. Houses are of mass produced, standardised materials and fittings including bricks, concrete blocks, concrete tiles, wood and plastic doors and windows, and plastic guttering. At Monks Meadow, residences are of one and two storeys, and faced in brown brick under pitched tiled roofs. Some have dormer windows, roof lights and conservatories; chimneys are not prominent. The area is landscaped with lawns, shrubs and some wooden fencing.

The B4024 (East)

The majority of buildings in this area are also residences of 20 th /21 st Century date, constructed using modern methods and materials. The exceptions are a timber- framed cottage of 17 th or 18 th Century date and a former 18 th Century brick coach house.

Rhonville (probably late 17 th to early 18 th Century, Grade II), a cottage of one storey with attic, is timber-framed (box frame with regular square panels) with plaster infill under a pitched slate roof, and with rendered chimneystacks, with brick shafts, at both gable ends. At the west (front) elevation there is an off-centre entrance under a 20 th Century gabled porch, replacement casement windows and raking-top dormer windows. At the east elevation there is a lean-to extension.

The Old Coach House (18 th Century, unlisted), adjacent to Phillips House, is now a private residence. The house is of two and three stories; it is built of brick in Flemish bond under hipped and pitched slate roofs. Architectural details include Georgian flat brick arch and segmental double brick arch window heads, and decorative ridge tiles. Recent alterations include replacement windows. The three-storey wing, with pyramidal roof, occupies a prominent position near the southern entrance to the village.

Residential developments include Glebe Orchard cul-de-sac (constructed since the conservation area was designated) and individual residences (several of which are large bungalows) on infill sites, built using mass produced, standardised materials

14 and fittings including doors, windows, bricks, concrete blocks and concrete tiles. At Glebe Orchard (on the site of a former orchard) there are bungalows and one and- one-half storey houses (sheltered and affordable housing) faced in brown brick under pitched tiled roofs on small plots with open-plan landscaping at the front and small gardens at the rear. Architectural details of the houses include dentilled eaves, segmental brick arch window heads, dormer windows and some prominent chimneys.

The Rural Road

The narrow hedge-lined rural road on the south-eastern side of the conservation area is the least built-up area of the village and is probably most characteristic of the settlement prior to 20 th Century residential development. Settlement is dispersed and consists of contemporary and former farmhouses (timber-framed and brick), farm buildings (stone-built and steel-framed), timber-framed cottages and several 20 th Century residences on infill plots (particularly at the northern end of the rural road). On the east side of the road (generally outside the conservation area boundary) are large fields in pasture; on the west side is a series of orchards with older varieties of apple trees in pasture bounded by mature hedges. This is an example of traditional 18 th and 19 th Century land use and a remnant of previously more extensive orchards in the area.

Bower Cottage (16 th or 17 th Century, Grade II), of one storey and attic, is timber- framed (cruck frame and regular square panels) with plaster infill under a thatched half-hipped roof. There is an external stone chimneystack with brick shaft at the east gable. Fenestration is irregular, the entrance is through a 20 th Century porch on the south side, and there is a large 20 th Century extension on west side.

Rose Cottage (probably late 17 th Century to 18 th Century, Grade II), now Woodpeckers, also of one storey and attic, is timber-framed (box frame and regular square panels) with rendered/painted brick infill under a pitched tiled roof. There is an external stone chimneystack with brick shaft at south gable end. The cottage has been extended to the north with thinner, irregular scantlings under a half-hipped roof. At the east (front) elevation there is an off-centre 20 th Century gabled porch with close studding, gabled dormer windows and replacement casement windows.

Pound Cottage (probably 18 th Century, Grade II), of one storey and attic, is timber- framed (box-frame and regular square panels) with painted brick and plaster infill under a pitched tiled roof. At the west (front) elevation is an off-centre entry. Twentieth century alterations and additions include a partly glazed door and gabled canopy, a gabled dormer, casement windows, and extensions at the north and south gable ends.

Parkside (probably 17 th or 18 th Century, unlisted) is timber-framed (box frame with regular square panels exposed at the south elevation) with painted brick or rendered infill panels under a pitched tiled roof. The building has been extended in rendered brick under a pitched tiled roof (probably in the 19 th Century).

Street Farm (probably late 17 th to early 18 th Century, Grade II), a two-storey farmhouse, is timber-framed (box frame and regular square panels) with rendered infill on a sandstone rubble plinth under a pitched tiled roof. At the west (front) elevation there is an off-centre entry under a 20 th Century gabled porch, replacement casement windows and an external stone chimneystack with brick shaft. On the east side there is a full-length timber-framed extension under a lean-to tiled roof. To the

15 west and south of the farmhouses are ranges of stone-built farm buildings with pitched tiled and corrugated iron roofs, and to the east, steel-framed buildings.

Audley Cottage (probably 19 th Century, unlisted) is a former two-storey farmhouse of rendered brick under a pitched slate roof with two end chimneystacks. At the front (east) elevation is a central 20 th Century glazed gabled porch and partly glazed door, and metal casement windows with segmentary arch heads. To the immediate south is a range of single storey brick and weather-boarded buildings under pitched tiled and corrugated iron roofs; they are likely to be former farm buildings.

Homme House and Bodenham Farm

Homme House landscape park extends south from the parish churchyard and occupies much of the southern part of the conservation area. A large area of the park is well planted with mature parkland trees in permanent pasture. The south- western part is more heavily wooded and includes the site of Homme House, a dovecote and other outbuildings, and a walled garden. To the west is the site of Bodenham Farm, including a farmhouse and several agricultural buildings

Homme House (Grade II*) is located at the highest point in the conservation area near the south-west boundary. The house and outbuildings are screened from the (A449) road by woodland. The oldest part of the house (16 th Century) is built of sandstone with sandstone dressings. Architectural details include a low tower, battlements and a canted oriel window. The main wing of the house (late 18 th Century) is of brick with stone dressings under hipped slate roofs. It is rectangular in plan, and of three storeys over cellars. At the north-east (front) elevation there is a balustraded parapet, a pediment (slightly off-centre), stone quoins, string courses and dressings, an off-centre door case in a porch with two pairs of Tuscan columns, and sash windows.

To the west of the house is the Summerhouse (17 th Century, Grade II) of two stories and octagonal plan. It is constructed of sandstone rubble with sandstone dressings under a hipped stone slate roof with wooden lantern. At the first floor there are paired triangular windows at three faces. A small octagonal stair turret is attached to the south faces. The Upper Lodge (probably early 19 th Century, Grade II) is located on the west drive at its junction with the A449. It is of T-plan and two stories; the central projecting wing is at the front (north-east) elevation. The lodge is constructed of roughly coursed sandstone rubble under slate roofs with an octagonal brick chimneystack. At the front elevation is a central entrance with gabled porch and, on either side, a window with two-centred head.

Bodenham Farm is located on rising ground on the west side of the A449. The farmhouse (probably late 18 th Century, Grade II) is a Georgian painted brick house of two storeys and attic under a hipped tiled roof. The south-east (front) elevation is symmetrical in design with a dentilled brick eaves cornice, central pediment with lunette window, central 19 th Century latticed porch, and windows with segmental brick arch heads.

Bodenham Farm barn (probably late 17 th to early 18 th Century, Grade II) is timber- framed with board and woven infill, on a sandstone rubble plinth, under plain tiled roofs. At the south elevation there are full-height doors. The building is linked to an adjacent cider house (possibly early 18 th Century, Grade II) built of sandstone rubble under a pitched slate roof with tallet stairs to the second storey. Bodenham Farm Wainhouse (probably late 18 th or early 19 th Century, Grade II), of one storey and attic,

16 is built of sandstone rubble under a pitched tiled roof. It has been converted to a dwelling.

Hellens

Hellens, a large brick-built 16 th Century house and a group of former agricultural buildings, is located in the north-eastern part of the conservation area in a small landscape park, much of which extends eastwards beyond the conservation area boundary. Several large arable fields lie between the site and the village of Much Marcle.

The present house (16 th Century with 18 th Century alterations, Grade II) was formerly part of a larger house. It is built of brick in English bond with plastered brick quoins and window surrounds, brick chimneystacks, sandstone string course and plinth under stone and Welsh slate roofs. The house is of T-plan and two storeys with cellar and attics. At the east (garden) elevation there is an off-centre entry with moulded jambs, four-centred arch and label (all in cement), seven windows with mullions and transoms and two sash windows, and a bell-cote on the ridge of the roof. At the east-facing gable end is a French casement window and tripartite sash window. At the west elevation there is an octagonal staircase tower with cupola. At the north elevation a dormer window is set in a shaped gable.

A former stable block (probably late 18 th Century, Grade II) converted to residential use is attached to Hellens by a linking wall. It is of two stories and built of brick in English garden wall bond under a pitched tiled roof. At the south (front) elevation is an early 20 th Century portico with four Tuscan columns, off-centre entry, irregular fenestration and pantiled roof.

The Dovecote (17 th Century, Grade II*), octagonal in plan, is built of brick in English bond with plaster quoins and stone string courses under a pyramidal tiled roof surmounted by a lantern. The doorway has a stone chamfered four-centred head. On the west side of the building are the date and initials “ 1641 / W / FM ”; other faces have square or diamond-shaped decorations in the brickwork.

The Stables (probably late 18 th Century with late 19 th Century alterations, Grade II) are brick built, in English garden wall bond and Monk bond, with sandstone rubble at the gable ends under a pitched tiled roof. At the west elevation there are projecting brick eaves, two doorways with flat brick arch heads, lunette windows and deep windows with semi-circular brick heads. The former Cider House (early 19 th Century, Grade II) is a brick, two-storey building under a pitched tile roof. At the east elevation there is a central entry with segmental brick arch heads and windows with segmental heads. The Lodge (probably 19 th Century, unlisted) is located on the access track to Hellens farm at the junction with the A449. This is a small, single-storey, T-plan house built of brick in Flemish bond under pitched slate roofs. At the south-west (front) elevation there is a central entry with wooden porch, a canted bay window to the north-west (main road) side and a window with a stone or rendered flat brick arch head to the south-east side.

Walwyn House (late 19 th Century, unlisted) is located west of Hellens on a driveway off the main village street. This is a large, one-and-one-half storey, T-plan house with single-storey extensions. It is brick-built in Flemish bond under pitched tiled roofs with dormer windows. Details include casement windows with segmental brick arch heads, plain bargeboards, prominent brick chimneys and a date stone of 1889 .

Boundary Treatment

The most common form of boundary treatment throughout the conservation area is the hedgerow. Mature hedges are located in agricultural landscapes, in landscape parks and bordering the B4024 for much of its length within the village of Much Marcle.

Churchyard boundaries consist mainly of stone walls of coursed sandstone rubble with parallel coping, and cast iron railings with spear railheads. Rusticated sandstone walls and cast iron railings with spear heads are located at the north entrance to Home House landscape park; coursed sandstone walls are located at the west entrance.

A number of other forms of boundary treatment (usually associated with individual properties) are present in the conservation area, often in combination with hedges. In the village these include short sections of close-boarded and post-and-rail wooden fences, a section of chain-link fencing and a section of concrete block wall. On the Homme House and Hellens estates field boundaries include post-and-wire fencing.

Buildings of Local Interest

A number of unlisted buildings make a positive contribution to the special architectural and historical interest of the conservation area. It is proposed that the following be considered for designation as Buildings of Local Interest:

• Swan Cottage: probably 17 th or 18 th Century, a former inn of two storeys, timber-framed (box-frame with regular square panels exposed at west elevation) with painted brick or plaster infill under a pitched slate roof, considerably altered and extended during the 20 th Century (including replacement windows, brick extensions, slate roofs and gabled porch).

• Parkside: probably 17 th or 18 th Century, a timber-framed house (box frame with regular square panels exposed at the south elevation) with painted brick or rendered infill panels under a pitched tiled roof. The building has been extended in rendered brick under a pitched tiled roof (probably in the 19 th Century).

• The Walwyn Arms public house: 17 th Century, timber-framed, of two storeys, refaced and rendered, with dentilled eaves, under a pitched tiled roof with single storey extensions to the east (17 th or 18 th Century) and north-west (19 th Century). At the north (front) elevation is a central entrance with part-glazed panel door and two canted bay windows under a continuous pentice, and casement windows at the first floor.

• Much Marcle C.E. Primary School: 19 th Century, a single-storey Victorian school of redbrick with stone quoins, dressings and moulded labels with returned ends, under pitched tiled roofs with decorative bargeboards at the gables; extended during 20 th /21 st Century.

• Walnut Tree Cottage: probably 19 th Century, a two-storey house of painted brick under a double pitched slate roof; at the east (front) elevation is a dentilled eaves cornice, central entry with panelled door and overlight, two square bay windows and casement windows at the first floor.

18 • Mainwarings: probably 19 th Century, a two-storey house of painted brick under a tiled roof, hipped at the east end (the house has probably been extended); at the front (north) elevation is a dentilled brick eaves cornice, an off centre entrance with panelled door and canopy, string course, with sash windows at the ground floor and casement windows at the first floor.

• Audley Cottage: probably 19 th Century, a former farmhouse of two storeys, rendered brick under a pitched slate roof with two end chimneystacks; at the front (east) elevation is a central glazed (20 th Century) gabled porch and partly-glazed door, and metal casement windows with segmentary arch heads.

• The Memorial Hall: constructed in 1921, a single-story T-plan building of pebble-dash and redbrick (stretcher bond) under pitched and hipped roofs; at the west gable end there is brick porch with a flat roof and, above, a large lunette window with keystone and label (later additions).

• Much Marcle Garage: early 20 th Century, a bow-string trussed corrugated iron building with glazed wooden front (south-east end). Although outside the conservation area boundary, this building is a local landmark on the west side of the A449 at the junction with the B4024 and, together with the Walwyn Arms public house on the opposite side of the road, forms a gateway to the village of Much Marcle.

Features in the Public Realm

The following features in the public realm also contribute to the local character of the conservation area:

• A cobbled carriage drive extending eastwards from the parish church towards the former vicarage.

• A red cast-iron Victorian post box built into the wall of an outbuilding of Mainwarings on the main village street.

Prevalent Building Materials and Local Details

The use of local sandstone as a building material can be seen throughout the conservation area, particularly in the case of older buildings. These include the parish church, some timber-framed buildings (plinths and chimneystacks), Homme House and the Summerhouse, continuing into the 18 th and 19 th Century in the case of agricultural buildings, the Lower Lodge of Homme House and boundary walls.

Local oak was used in the construction of farmhouses, cottages and some agricultural buildings between the 16 th and 18 th Century. Brick infill (nogging) seen in most of these buildings may have replaced original wattle infill. These buildings would have originally been thatched. Only one thatched cottage remains; other timber-framed buildings have been re-roofed with tiles or slate. Timber-framed cottages are likely to have been constructed of one storey; roof raising or replacement permitted the insertion of an attic (with dormer windows) or a second floor. Other alterations include replacement of doors and windows, and the addition of porches and extensions. Most buildings in the conservation area with exposed timber framing have been painted in black and white.

19 Brick, from local sources, appeared as an important building material by the 16 th Century, and was used in the construction of Hellens, a large Tudor house. Architectural details, including quoins, window surrounds and mullions were built of brick faced in plaster whereas string courses utilised sandstone. Brick was also used in the construction of Phillips House, an early 18 th Century vicarage of Queen Anne style. Architectural details include central entrances with stone moulded architraves and open pediments, stone quoins, stone and brick keystones, stone and brick moulded string courses, flat brick arch window heads, and wooden moulded eaves with dentilled cornice.

During the 19 th Century, brick became the prevalent building material and by the late 19 th Century, machine-made bricks and tiles, and Welsh slate became widely available. Architectural details include brick segmentary arch window heads and brick dentilled eaves. In the mid-20 th Century, standardised mass-produced bricks, concrete blocks and concrete tiles were introduced, followed by plastic facias, guttering and down pipes, and plastic doors and windows. Recent residential developments throughout much of the country, including Much Marcle Conservation Area, share similar characteristics resulting in a loss of local identity.

Positive Areas and Features

The following elements contribute significantly to the character of the conservation area:

• The village core, an area in the centre of the conservation area that includes the parish church of St Bartholomew and the churchyard with its stone walls, cross, 18 th and 19 th Century tombs and headstones, and ancient elm tree; Mortimer’s Castle motte and bailey; Causeway Cottage; Phillip’s House (former vicarage) and a cobbled carriage drive extending from the churchyard towards the former vicarage.

• Bodenham Farm, a compact group of buildings including the Georgian farmhouse, timber-framed barn and stone-built cider house and wainhouse.

• Street Farm, a compact group of buildings including the timber-framed farmhouse and stone outbuildings.

Neutral and Intrusive Features

The following elements do not contribute to the character of the conservation area:

• Twentieth century residential developments at Monks Meadow and Glebe Orchard, and on infill sites adjacent to the main village street.

Pressures, Capacity and General Condition

A significant amount of residential development has taken place within the conservation area since its designation. This has been in the form of cul-de-sac development at Monk’s Meadow and Glebe Orchard, and infill development on sites adjacent to the main village street (B4024). In addition, at the time of the survey (1.5.07) the following work was in progress:

20 • Development on a former open space on the east side of the B4024 north of Parting Ground Cottage

• Construction of an additional building or extension at Much Marcle Primary School, and other construction work at the Vicarage on the B4024 (south), at Parkside on the rural road, and at Walwyn House.

Further development within the conservation area would continue to erode the character of the area. The village core and the rural road in the south-eastern part of the conservation area are particularly at risk since in these areas the unique character of the conservation area is particularly well represented in terms of dispersed settlement (farms and timber-framed cottages) and the survival of orchards.

Timber-framed cottages, farmhouses, barns and other agricultural buildings make a significant contribution to the character and historic interest of the conservation area. The loss of these buildings would be detrimental to its character. It is strongly recommended that any proposals for conversion or redevelopment should take this into consideration.

Most of the occupied buildings and open spaces in the conservation area appear to be well kept and in good condition. Enhancement or redevelopment is presently in progress or in preparation on former agricultural buildings at Hellens and on the Summerhouse at Homme House.

Issues

Heritage Asset at Risk

Mortimer’s Castle motte and bailey (Scheduled Monument) is potentially at risk of damage for the following reasons:

• Heavy growth of trees and bushes on the motte.

• Animal burrows on the motte.

• Several houses were constructed in the bailey before the monument was scheduled but extensions to them have been constructed since scheduling.

It is suggested that a risk assessment should be undertaken to determine damage potential due to vegetation growth, animal activity and further development.

Proposed Boundary Changes

It is suggested that consideration should be given to a number of boundary changes that would involve inclusion to, and exclusion from the conservation area, and other minor realignment of the conservation area boundary. General considerations underlying these proposals are:

1. To include areas of special architectural or historic interest that would contribute to the character of the conservation area.

21 2. To exclude neutral or intrusive areas that do not contribute to, or detract from, the character of the conservation area.

3. To exclude areas of the landscape that do not form an integral part of the historic built environment.

4. To realign the conservation area boundary with recognisable features such as field boundaries, property boundaries, roads or lanes, at locations where the boundary does not follow recognisable features, e.g., where former field boundaries have been removed.

Proposed Inclusion (Consideration no. 1):

Awnells Farm is part of the dispersed settlement of farms and cottages on the rural road on the south-eastern side of the conservation area. Awnells farmhouse (probably late 17 th Century, Grade II) is a two-storey timber-framed building with brick cladding under a pitched concrete tile and pantile roof, enlarged and re-cast in the late 18 th /early 19 th Century. At the front (south) elevation there is an off-centre entry in a gabled timber-framed porch (possibly 17 th Century) and brick segmental arch window heads. On the east side there is a taller brick extension of similar length. A brick-built agricultural building extended in stone, located west of the farmhouse, should also be included.

Proposed Exclusion (Consideration nos. 2 and 3)

• In the north-western part: fields north and west of Mortimer’s Castle; buildings north of Much Marcle Primary School and west of the B4024.

• In the north-eastern part: fields and buildings east and north of the B4024 including the Monks Meadow estate, Glebe Orchard estate and Hellens (see Note 1). The following buildings should not be excluded: Parting Ground Cottage, the Memorial Hall, Phillips House and The Old Coach House.

• In the eastern part: fields and buildings south of the B4024, east of the rural road and north of Street Farm.

Note 1: It is proposed that Hellens should be excluded because:

(i) The site is separated from the rest of the conservation area by fields in agricultural use, and does not form an integral part of the conservation area.

(ii) The house, dovecote and most of the outbuildings are protected by virtue of their status as Listed Buildings (Grade II* and Grade II) set within a Park of Local Importance.

Note 2: Several Listed Buildings within the proposed area of exclusion are protected by their status (Grade II).

Proposed Realignment of the Boundary (Consideration no. 4)

It is proposed that the boundary be realigned to extend along the east side of the rural road in the following locations:

22 (i) Between Street Farm and Pound Cottage.

(ii) Between Pound Cottage and Awnells Farm.

23 Sources

Planning Documents and Guidance

Department of the Environment and Department of National Heritage (1994) Planning Policy Guidance: Planning and the Historic Environment . English Heritage (2006) Guidance on conservation area appraisals . English Heritage (1997) Conservation area appraisals . English Heritage (1995) Conservation Area Practice . Herefordshire Council (2004) Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan: Revised Deposit Draft, May 2004. Much Marcle Parish Design Group (200) Much Marcle Parish Design Statement .

Historical and Archaeological Sources

Coplestone-Crow, B. (1989) Herefordshire Place Names . B. A. R British Series 214. B. A. R. Herefordshire Federation of Women’s Institutes (1999) The Herefordshire Village Book . Countryside Books. Pevsner, N. (1963) The Buildings of England, Herefordshire . Penguin. The Royal Commission on Historic Monuments (England) (1932) Herefordshire, Vol. II—East. RCHM(E). Ray, K. and P. White (2003) Herefordshire’s Historic Landscape: A Characterisation . Herefordshire Studies in Archaeology, Vol. 1. Herefordshire Council. Speak, M. (2001) Parsonage Houses in Herefordshire . Thorn, F. and C. (1983) Domesday Book, Herefordshire . Phillimore. Whitehead, D. (2001) Historic Parks and Gardens in Herefordshire . Hereford and Worcester Gardens Trust.

Maps

British Geological Survey (2000) Ross-on-Wye, England and Wales Sheet 215. Solid and Drift Geology. 1:50 000 Provisional Series. British Geological Survey. Inclosure Map for the Townships of Marcle, Wolton and Kinaston of 1797 . Ordnance Survey (1998) Explorer 189, Hereford and Ross-on-Wye. Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey (1887) 1st Edition, Sheet XLI SE. Ordnance Survey. Soil Survey of England and Wales (1987) Soils of England and Wales. Sheet 3, Midland and Western England . Ordnance Survey.

24 Appendix I: List of Heritage Assets

Scheduled Monuments

• Mortimer’s Castle • Churchyard Cross

Listed Buildings

Grade I: Buildings of national importance and exceptional interest (2% of Listed Buildings).

• Summerhouse about 100 yards west-south-west of Homme House • Church of St Bartholomew

Grade II*: Particularly important buildings of more than special interest (4% of Listed Buildings).

• Hellens • Dovecote about 20 yards north of Hellens • Homme House • Phillips House

Grade II: Buildings of special interest.

• Bodenham Farmhouse • Barn about 40 yards east of Bodenham Farmhouse • Cider house about 50 yards east of Bodenham Farmhouse • Wainhouse about 30 yards north-north-east of Bodenham Farmhouse • House and linking wall attached to south-west of Hellens • Barn and attached cow shelter about 45 yards west of Hellens • Cider house about 40 yards south-west of Hellens • Cow shelter about 70 yards north-west of Hellens • Stables about 35 yards north-west of Hellens • Wainhouse about yards west of Hellens • Coach house attached to north of Homme House • Pound Cottage • Rose Cottage • Street Farmhouse • Lodge about 150 yards north-west of Homme House • Milestone A449 (west side) • Churchyard cross about 12 yards south of the chancel of the Church of St Bartholomew • Chest tomb about 14 yards south of the chancel of the Church of St Bartholomew • Chest tomb about 5 yards south-west of the south porch of the Church of St Bartholomew • Chest tomb about 9 yards east of the south porch of the Church of St Bartholomew • Headstone about 25 yards south of the chancel of the Church of St Bartholomew

25 • Row of six headstones about 15 to 25 yards south of the south nave aisle of the Church of St Bartholomew • Bowers monument about 30 yards south of the south-west corner of the south nave aisle of the Church of St Bartholomew • Clinton monument about 6 yards south-west of the south porch of the Church of St Bartholomew • Elliott monument about 20 yards south-west of the south-west corner of the Church of St Bartholomew • Inns monument about 10 yards south-west of the south porch of the Church of St Bartholomew • Lucy monument about 6 yards east of the south porch of the Church of St Bartholomew • Phillips monument about 4 yards south of the south porch of the Church of St Bartholomew • Powell monument about 20 yards south of the porch of the Church of St Bartholomew • John Smith monument about 25 yards south of the junction of the nave and the tower of the Church of St Bartholomew • Thomas Smith monument about 24 yards south of the junction of the nave and the tower of the Church of St Bartholomew • Gates, gate piers and flanking walls about 35 yards north-east of the north- east corner of the Church of St Bartholomew • Bower Cottage • Causeway Cottage • Greenway Cottage • Parting Ground Cottage • Rhonville • Tollhouse Cottage

26 Herefordshire Sites and Monuments Record

• Mortimer’s Castle • Hellens • Dovecote, Hellens • Churchyard Cross • Gardens, Homme House • Causeway Cottage • Homme House • Bronze Age pottery (find) • Vicarage (Phillips House) • St Bartholomews Church • School, Much Marcle • Parchmarks WSW of Church, Much Marcle • Ditches E of Much Marcle (crop marks) • Deserted Medieval Village N of Mortimer’s Castle, Much Marcle • Dovecote, Vicarage • Hellens Landscape Park • Much Marcle Medieval Settlement (Domesday Book record) • Post-medieval Field System, Homme House • Eighteenth Century Road Surface, Much Marcle • Medieval Ironworks, Much Marcle (Domesday Book record) • Home Guard Headquarters, Junction A449/B4024 • Ridge and Furrow and other Earthworks near Mortimer’s Castle • Green Man, Much Marcle church (sculpture) • Phillips House (see also Vicarage) • Toll House • Town Ditch or Road (aerial photograph)

27 Appendix II: Buildings of Local Interest

• Swan Cottage: probably 17 th or 18 th Century, a former inn of two storeys, timber-framed (box-frame with regular square panels exposed at west elevation) with painted brick or plaster infill under a pitched slate roof, considerably altered and extended during the 20 th Century (including replaced windows, brick extensions, slate roofs and gabled porch).

• Mainwarings: probably 19 th Century, a two-storey house of painted brick under a tiled roof, hipped at the east end (the house has probably been extended); at the front (north) elevation is a dentilled brick eaves cornice, an off centre entrance with panelled door and canopy, string course, with sash windows at the ground floor and casement windows at the first floor.

• Much Marcle Garage: early 20 th Century, a bow-string trussed corrugated iron building with glazed wooden front (south-east end). This building is a local landmark on the west side of the A449 at the junction with the B4024.